Volkswagen Sharan 2010 Road Test Report

Performance

It will come as no shock to learn that a pair of 2.0-litre turbodiesel engines forms the backbone of the Sharan range. They come in 138- and 167bhp forms, and each has a six-speed manual gearbox as standard or there’s the option of a six-speed DSG twin-clutch gearbox for those who prefer to leave gear shifts to their own devices. Acceleration from rest to 62mph takes an identical 10.9 seconds in the 138bhp turbodiesel regardless of which gearbox you choose, while the 167bhp offers a useful extra lug of low- and mid-rev shove. The other two engines on offer in the Sharan are petrols and much more polarised. At the top end is a 197bhp 2.0-litre turbo petrol that is only available with the six-speed DSG gearbox. It’s smooth and powerful, but it’s hard to see the advantage of this motor over its siblings that are cheaper to buy. At the other end of the petrol spectrum is VW’s fine 1.4-litre turbo- and supercharged motor with 148bhp. It really does punch above its size to offer 0-62mph in 10.7 seconds and decently relaxed cruising all the way up to continental motorway speeds. All of the new Sharan range, with the exception of the 2.0-litre turbo petrol unit, comes with Start/Stop as standard to switch the engine off when the car is stood still to save fuel and reduce emissions.

Ride & Handling

The Sharan has never rivalled the Ford Galaxy in the handling stakes and so it is with this latest Sharan. VW has instead majored on comfort and its efforts have been successful as the Sharan traverses gnarled roads with a light-footed ability missing in many of its rivals. Even with more than a few passengers on board, the Sharan remains composed, the steering offers decent feel and a tight turning circle to make the VW good on the open road and around town. Volkswagen has introduced an updated version of its Park Assist for the Sharan to help it parallel park and, for the first time, reverse into a standard supermarket parking bay. Away from the urban sprawl, the Sharan leans more in corners than a Ford Galaxy, but grips well and all versions come with ESP traction and stability control. Noise is well suppressed in all engine variants, with only some wind noise audible from around the large windscreen. Volkswagen offers an Adaptive Chassis Control for the Sharan, which provides comfort, normal and sport modes for the suspension. During our time with several Sharans, there was no discernible difference between the settings, so best to no tick this option and spend the money on something else.

Build Quality & Reliability

It’s hard to fault the Sharan in the vast majority of areas of construction and quality, but we are knocking off one star. The reason for this is not the level of materials employed but because the use of them is not as simple as we’d like to see. This is mostly due to the way the third row of seats folds into the boot floor, which is just not as idiot simple as it is in a Ford Galaxy or Land Rover Discovery. Sort this and VW would be basking in a full five-star score here. Otherwise, there’s nothing to fear with the new Sharan as all of the engines and gearboxes are tried and trusted, while the attention to detail in panel gaps and build is first rate.

Safety & Security

You name it, the Volkswagen Sharan is likely to have it. There are twin front, side and curtain airbags, with the curtain ’bags extending the full length of the cabin to protect those in the third row of seats. There’s also a driver’s knee airbag. Anti-lock brakes and ESP traction and stability control feature on every model, as does a tyre pressure monitoring system. As for security, deadlocks, an alarm and immobiliser, and marked parts all do their bit to deter the light fingered element of society. All Sharan models fitted with alloy wheels also have locking wheel nuts to keep the wheels where they should be: on the car.

Space & Practicality

Most Sharans bought in the UK will be seven-seat versions, though there is also the option of a six-seater Executive model for the chauffeur drive market. There’s no five-seater model, but the third row of seats fold flat into the load floor so the Sharan can be used as such. Folding the seats is more of a phaff than it should be as the seat bases need to be tipped forward, followed by the seat backs. It’s the same when resurrecting the third row seats, where the seat back folds up but the user then has to stretch forward to flip up the base. Not good, especially when many rivals in this class and the one below have mastered folding seats in one fluid move. The middle of row of seats can be slid back and forth to vary legroom for their occupants and those in the third row of seats. Space is good for those in the middle seats, but the third row is best reserved for kids as headroom is limited for adults. As with the third row seats, the middle ones fold into the floor, so no need to remove them fully from the car as in the previous Sharan when you need to use the full length of the load bay. Load space with all of the seats in place is better than most MPVs and the Sharan extends and extends to offer van-like room for luggage. The front passenger seat can also be folded flat in all but the base model to accommodate extra long items. For the driver, space is generous and the driving position is easily tailored thanks to a height adjustable seat and two-way movement for the steering wheel. All-round vision is excellent and, despite the new Sharan’s extra length and width over the old model, it’s a cinch to judge gaps in the traffic and parking bays. Sliding side rear doors are now fitted to the Sharan, making tight parking spots no problem when it comes to getting the kids in and out, and access to third row of seats is excellent.

Ownership & Value

The VW badge on the front of the Sharan is a reassuring symbol for many MPV buyers, so the Sharan is guaranteed solid residual values. This is just as well as it’s not the cheapest car in its class to buy new. The entry-level S model may come with an electric parking brake, electric windows front and rear, air conditioning and a CDF stereo, but no alloy wheels seems mean. The SE model is set to be the most popular and includes alloy wheels, height adjustment for both front seats, front and rear parking sensors and Bluetooth connectivity. Go for the SEL and you get Alcantara-covered seats, rear privacy glass, cruise control, larger alloy wheels and a panoramic sunroof. The Executive version has all of the SEL’s features but has six seats instead of seven and full leather upholstery. The 138bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel is the most likely choice of Sharan buyers and offers 52.3mpg combined economy and 143g/km to be cost effective for private and company drivers. The 1.4 TSI is the pick of the petrols with average economy of 38.1mpg and 172g/km carbon dioxide emissions.